London Spot
Gold $4,415.40
Silver $66.83
Platinum $1,796.25
Palladium $1,401.10
Rhodium $9,400.00
Gold/Silver Ratio 66.07

Gear

Best Scales for Gold and Silver

Weight is the fastest honest test of bullion. One scale that reads fine enough for coins, one big enough for bars, and the lab-grade option that does both.

Updated September 5, 2026

Our Picks

PickProductBest for
Best for coins and fractional gold AWS SC-501 scale (500 g × 0.01 g) Anyone checking individual coins, fractional gold or mail-order bullion See on Amazon
Best for bars and tubes AWS SC-2KGA scale (2 kg × 0.1 g) Bars, full tubes and bulk silver See on Amazon
Best lab-grade option Ohaus Scout SPX1202 balance Frequent buyers, specific-gravity testing, small dealers See on Amazon
Pairs with a scale Guardhouse 40 mm direct-fit capsules Coins you may sell individually See on Amazon

How to Choose

What a Bullion Scale Needs

Three things: enough resolution for what you check, a troy-ounce mode, and enough capacity and platform for the largest thing you own. For coins, resolution means 0.01 g: fractional gold coins weigh 3 to 8 grams, so a 0.1 g scale cannot tell a genuine 1/10 oz Eagle (3.39 g) from a fake a quarter-gram light. For bars, 0.1 g is adequate and capacity matters more: a 10 oz silver bar is 311 g, a full tube of Silver Eagles 622 g, and a kilo bar 1,000 g, beyond most jewellery scales. No inexpensive scale does both well, which is why our top two picks are a pair.

Then check technique. Calibrate with the included weight, use a level surface away from vents, let the reading settle, and compare against the mint's published specification, which you can look up in our coin specs tool. A coin more than a tenth of a gram off spec deserves the rest of the testing kit. Our troy ounce guide covers the unit conversions.

The Picks

1. Best for coins and fractional gold

AWS SC-501 scale (500 g × 0.01 g)

The AWS SC-501 reads to 0.01 g up to 500 g, switches between grams, troy ounces, ounces, pennyweight and carats, and costs about what a tube of silver does in premium. That resolution is what lets you check a coin against its mint specification: a genuine 1/10 oz Gold Eagle weighs 3.39 g, and a fake a quarter-gram light is unmistakable. 500 g still covers a 10 oz bar.

Pros

  • 0.01 g resolution, the standard for coin checks
  • Troy ounce mode built in
  • 500 g capacity covers every coin and bars to 10 oz
  • Calibration weight included

Cons

  • Cannot weigh a kilo bar or a full monster box tube of Eagles (620 g)
  • Battery-powered; keep spares
  • Needs a level, draught-free surface for the last digit to settle

Best for: Anyone checking individual coins, fractional gold or mail-order bullion

See AWS SC-501 scale (500 g × 0.01 g) on Amazon

2. Best for bars and tubes

AWS SC-2KGA scale (2 kg × 0.1 g)

The AWS SC-2KGA trades resolution for capacity: 0.1 g readability up to 2 kg, on a platform big enough for a full tube of Silver Eagles, a 100 oz silver bar or a kilo gold bar. For bars, 0.1 g is plenty, since fakes are typically grams off, not hundredths. Many small dealers run one of each AWS model side by side.

Pros

  • 2 kg capacity with a large platform
  • Troy ounce mode built in
  • Ships with a calibration weight

Cons

  • 0.1 g is too coarse for fractional gold coins
  • Battery or adapter powered

Best for: Bars, full tubes and bulk silver

See AWS SC-2KGA scale (2 kg × 0.1 g) on Amazon

3. Best lab-grade option

Ohaus Scout SPX1202 balance

Ohaus makes balances for laboratories, and the Scout SPX1202 brings that repeatability to a home desk: 0.01 g readability across 1,200 g, so one instrument covers a 1/10 oz coin and a kilo bar with the same resolution. Readings settle fast and stay stable, calibration holds, and a draught shield is available. It is the scale for someone who checks a lot of metal or does specific-gravity tests, where a tenth of a gram of noise ruins the result.

Pros

  • 0.01 g across 1,200 g in one instrument
  • Repeatable to the last digit, fast settling
  • Optional draught shield for specific gravity work

Cons

  • Costs several times the two AWS scales combined
  • Larger footprint

Best for: Frequent buyers, specific-gravity testing, small dealers

See Ohaus Scout SPX1202 balance on Amazon

4. Pairs with a scale

Guardhouse 40 mm direct-fit capsules

Once you have checked a coin, keep it that way. Direct-fit capsules protect the surface without adding measurable weight, so you can re-check coins years later without handling them. Buy the size for your most common coin; 40 mm covers Silver Eagles.

Pros

  • Inert acrylic, no PVC
  • Exact fit, no rattle

Cons

  • One size per coin type
  • Bulkier than tubes for large quantities

Best for: Coins you may sell individually

See Guardhouse 40 mm direct-fit capsules on Amazon

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate does a scale need to be for gold and silver?

For coins and small bars, 0.01 g. Mint tolerances are typically a few hundredths of a gram, and most fakes are off by tenths of a gram or more, so 0.01 g gives a clear verdict. A 0.1 g kitchen scale is too coarse for fractional gold.

How much should a 1 oz Silver Eagle weigh?

A 1 oz American Silver Eagle weighs 31.103 g (1 troy ounce) at .999 fine; the US Mint tolerance is small. A 1 oz Gold Eagle weighs 33.93 g because it is 22-karat gold alloyed with copper and silver.

What is the difference between a troy ounce and a regular ounce?

A troy ounce is 31.103 g; an avoirdupois ounce is 28.35 g. Precious metals are always quoted in troy ounces, so use a scale with a troy mode or convert grams yourself. See our troy ounce guide for the full breakdown.

Can a scale detect a tungsten-filled gold bar?

Not by weight alone; tungsten is almost exactly as dense as gold. You need weight plus volume (specific gravity), an ultrasonic thickness gauge, or an electrical verifier such as the Sigma Metalytics PMV.

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